book haul!

Again? Yes, again! Two book sales in two weeks--my bookshelf looks much happier now. This time it was the library, and they had a massive sale. I was excitedly and very thoroughly perusing the tables of fantasy and paperback fiction set up on the patio just outside the door when (an hour and a half after I arrived) the volunteers began covering everything up with tarps, so I skimmed spines much faster and barely got through everything. And when I went inside to pay, there were tables and tables of books flooding the hallway, and even two rooms off to the side! Naturally, I had to go back the next day to see what I had missed.

Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book This binder of general cooking knowledge has been in my mother's collection for as long as I can remember, so I finally picked up my own copy.

Beauty by Robin McKinley I don't think I've ever read a fairy tale retelling before, and I like the story of Beauty and the Beast for many reasons.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss I've heard nothing but good things about this fantasy novel, so I figured I'd finally see for myself.

True Grit by Charles Portis Have you seen this movie? The newer one? It's pretty awesome (please don't watch the original. It's, well, terrible). I'll let you know what I think of the book.

The Hills is Lonely by Lillian Beckwith It looked intriguing, so I bought it. Goodreads reviewers tell me it's the fictional tale of a British woman's experience on one of the islands in the Hebrides off the coast of Scotland.

Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin Again, I liked the movie, and as the credits began to roll, there appeared that lovely phrase, "Based on the novel by..." And when I happened upon the novel at this book sale, I discovered just how ginormous it is. The movie must cover only 2% of it. Seriously.

The Warrior by Francine Rivers I enjoy biblical fiction, and though I don't think I've read anything by her yet, I know Rivers is supposed to be one of the best in this genre. This particular novella is about Caleb from the book of... er... the Old Testament. Clearly, I need to brush up on this particular story.

The White Mare by Jules Watson 1. There's a horse on the cover. 2. Celtic historical fantasy (that might count as three points). 3. It's the first book in a trilogy.

"Toilet paper rolls are infuriating things, aren't they, bun?"

Why yes, yes they are.

A glimpse into my Saturday morning--just because. And yes, much to my husband's amusement, I said the above quote while we were all eating (or attempting to eat) breakfast. As a side note, I believe it might be time to vacuum a certain corner of my kitchen.

P.S. For the life of me, I could not convince that opening quotation mark that it is not, in fact, a closing quotation mark.

wordless wednesday

Traveling Light

by Andrea Thalasinos

from the inside flap

A homeless Greek man is dying in a Queens hospital and Paula is asked to come translate. The old man tells her of his beloved dog, Fotis, who bit a police officer when they were separated. Paula has never considered adopting a dog, but she promises the man that she will rescue Fotis and find him a good home. But when Fotis enters her life she finds a companion she can’t live without. Suddenly Paula has a dog, a brand-new Ford Escape, an eight-week leave of absence, and a plan.

So Fotis and Paula begin the longest drive of their lives. In northern Minnesota, something compels her to answer a help-wanted ad for a wildlife rehabilitation center. Soon Paula is holding an eagle in her hands, and the experience leaves her changed forever.

my rating

my review

This is a fun, light, late-summer read. I really enjoyed journeying alongside Paula as she discovered the joy of living with a dog and the awe in holding an eagle. And the story line was engaging, if not a tad cliche on its most basic level.

It could use a good edit, namely for believability. For example, that "something" that compels Paula to call the wildlife rehabilitation center is never explained to any extent. Maybe she doesn't know why she called, but I'm sure she at least felt something. I'll never know, because the author didn't tell.

Also, it has one of the worst endings I've ever read, almost like a "slice of life" novel, except the rest of the book doesn't read that way. I was reading happily along, eager for what might come next, and it suddenly ended. Poof. No more text, and nothing was resolved. And no, there isn't a sequel.

Finally, there was a bit of unnecessary language scattered throughout in the same manner that a movie director sprinkles the f-bomb throughout his script in order to achieve an R rating.

I realize I've made Traveling Light sound like a terrible book, but I'd categorize it alongside cheesy chick-flicks: it may not be well done, but you enjoy it anyway.

The Paradise War (The Song of Albion #1)

by Stephen R. Lawhead

from the back cover
From the dreaming spires of Oxford, Lewis Gillies drives north to seek a mythical creature in a misty glen in Scotland. Expecting little more than a weekend diversion, Lewis finds himself in a mystical place where two worlds meet, in the time-between-times - and in the heart of a battle between good and evil.

The ancient Celts admitted no separation between this world and the Otherworld: the two were delicately interwoven, each dependent on the other. The Paradise War crosses the thin places between this world and that, as Lewis Gillies comes face-to-face with an ancient mystery - and a cosmic catastrophe in the making.

my rating

my review
My friend Candice from over at O, Ye Scribes highly recommended that I read The Song of Albion series a while back, and my husband has been pestering--erm, encouraging--me to pick up anything written by Stephen R. Lawhead ever since he discovered Hood in the local library. So when I found a copy of The Paradise War at an adorable little church-shaped book shop at a renaissance faire a few weeks ago, I snatched it up.

This book is remarkably well written and almost begs to be read aloud, though for all its virtues I didn't feel entirely drawn into the story. I did enjoy the palatable, informal Celtic mythology lesson woven within, and especially liked the eccentric character Dr. Nettleton. Simon, however, is quite insufferable and a tad flat, and caused the first part of the book to seem to drag on a bit; I didn't feel like I had truly started the book until about halfway through.

Although in general the story was not altogether predictable (yay!), a startling twist blinked by in a moment of shock and caught me completely off-guard somewhere in the second half of the book. Just a few lines carried such mind-scrambling significance that I had to pause a moment in my reading to appreciate the cleverness and try vainly to figure out exactly what it meant. Lawhead has a brilliant mind; I will definitely be reading more of his novels.